'There was a lot of blood,' Forensic evidence presented in 1994 Katherine Janeiro murder trial

Investigator describes suspected blood at murder scene Forensic evidence takes centre stage in 1994 Katherine Janeiro murder trial on Tuesday with testimony from a detective who worked the case.

Warning: Readers may find some details in this article disturbing or upsetting.

Forensic evidence collected nearly 30 years ago was a key focus in court Tuesday during the trial of Bruce Ellis, also known as Robert MacQueen, who is charged with the 1994 murder of Katherine Janeiro.

Ellis, accused of fatally stabbing the 20-year-old mother, sat in the courtroom as Det. Const. Brad Deakos, a former identification officer with the Ontario Provincial Police, testified about working on the investigation in the hours and days following Janeiro's death.

Deakos recounted collecting suspected blood samples from Janeiro's apartment on Dunlop Street, where her body was found lying face down in her bedroom.

"There was a lot of blood at this crime scene," Deakos shared with the courtroom.

The detective described to the jury a series of photographs taken during the investigation, showing suspected blood drops throughout the unit, including blood spatter on the living room wall above a couch, and significant amounts of blood in the bathroom, particularly in the bathtub and on the floor.

The officer testified about a sweater and a face cloth found in the tub, both covered in coagulated blood and a "ring of blood" around the tub itself.

He also pointed to blood transfer on a doorjamb near Janeiro's bedroom, indicating that her body may have been moved from the bathroom to the bedroom, making contact with the doorframe along the way.

The Crown asked the witness to describe blood drops recovered near a phone jack in the living room.

Investigators believe the phone had been ripped from the wall. A photo shown to the jury revealed a home phone that was found months later, submerged in a creek not far from the apartment.

The phone's speed dial list included 10 names, with mom listed at number one.

The trial continues on Wednesday with further testimony and cross-examination from the defence.